ABSTRACT
Introduction Collecting plant materials for transport and growth ex situ is an ancient practice. As early as 1500 BC, Egyptians were collecting exotic plants for their royal gardens. Seeds, bulbs and whole plants have been transported throughout history by traders, armies and explorers. Maintaining living plant material through transport was often a challenge and the development in the 19th century of the Wardian case was one attempt to address this problem. In spite of modern transport facilities, a number of challenges still face those attempting to collect living plant germplasm.
